As Syria braces for a historic Eid al-Fitr celebration, this year’s festivities carry profound meaning.
For the first time in over 14 years, families separated by war are reuniting to mark the end of Ramadan, a holiday that symbolizes not just the conclusion of a holy month, but the dawn of a new chapter for the country.
After the overthrow of Bashar Assad’s regime, which had held Syria in its grip for decades, Syrians who once fled their homeland are returning to celebrate Eid in a nation scarred by years of conflict.
The return of displaced families is a momentous occasion as many reunite with loved ones after years in exile.
Khaled Imam, who fled Daraya, a suburb of Damascus, in 2016 with his wife and children, is one such returnee. "I left Daraya after the deal with the regime for fighters to withdraw, but I always believed those who left would eventually return," Imam says, now celebrating Eid with his family in a city once ravaged by the war’s fiercest battles.
For others, returning was fraught with uncertainty and fear.
Young men who fled conscription or persecution by government forces faced even more daunting challenges.
Hemam Ali, who escaped to Jordan and later to Europe, spent over a decade in limited contact with his family due to the risks posed by government surveillance.
He returned on March 21 to celebrate Mother's Day and now stays for Eid. "These are the happiest days of my life," says Ali, who is grateful to be with his family after more than 11 years apart. "God has blessed us with the liberation of Syria."
In the lead-up to Eid, Damascus’s Midan market buzzed with joy, the air thick with the scent of traditional sweets and the sounds of reuniting families.
Ahmad Dalali, who fled to Lebanon in 2011 after a raid by security forces in his hometown of Wadi Barada, returned to Syria this year.
Carrying bags filled with Eid treats, Dalali, now 40, spoke with a mixture of emotions. “The war stole my youth,” he said, remembering how he left Syria as a 26-year-old university student.
Now, after years of exile, he’s back for the first time in over a decade.
He’s also preparing for a wedding on the second day of Eid, fulfilling a promise he made when he fled: He wouldn’t marry until Assad was gone.
This Eid is also historic for the country’s political landscape.
For the first time in Syrian history, the main hall of the presidential palace in Damascus hosted the Eid al-Fitr prayer, attended by hundreds of Syrians, including new interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, ministers, military leaders and ordinary citizens.
The prayer marks a symbolic new beginning for Syria, with citizens united in their faith and hope for the future.
Syria’s journey to this point is marked by immense challenges. After more than two decades of Assad’s rule, his regime crumbled in December following a swift offensive by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group.
Assad fled to Russia, leaving Syria at a crossroads.
The country is now navigating the delicate process of rebuilding, both politically and socially.
